Fond farewell to a scholar and a gentleman Tomas O Canainn

I would like to say farewell to a wonderful gentleman and scholar of Irish music, Tomás Ó Canainn who passed away on Sunday at the age of 82. The Derry native was long resident in Co. Cork where he taught for many years in the engineering and music schools of UCC. He was a student of Sean O’Riada’s there and took over his classes when O’Riada passed away.

O’Canainn was a brilliant writer, poet and musician whose early work with the group Na Fili with Matt Cranitch and Tom Barry was recognized as one of the finer treatments for traditional music and he remained an inspiration until his dying day. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.